Riding on the roads

[Orangehorse]

There are several Facebook groups about riding out on the roads, and how stupid some motorists can be.

But I also see accounts of some pretty badly behaved horses, and I think "should they be out on the roads if the rider cannot control them properly?"

I know that any horse can shy at something unusual, or even whip round, but to take a confirmed nappy animal out on the roads seems reckless. Or be so insecure that a shy will unseat the rider to the extent that they fall off. Am I being too harsh?

I know someone who was "given" a Welsh Cob by a friend, and they were delighted - until they tried to take it out for rides. The cob would disregard the rider completely, but it was not until it decided to make a beeline for a nice patch of grass on the other side of the road, just in front of a car coming the other way, that the new owner saw sense and never took it out again. Luckily the car was able to stop before hitting the horse, but the new owner was lumbered with a horse she could hardly ride and didn't want to spend time, money on retraining an animal she felt she could never trust again.

 

[scruffyponies]

TBF the situation with the welsh you describe sounds like a problem with the rider, not the horse!

OP, how should one address napping in a horse, if not to hack it out (necessarily on the road for most people)?
Just because a horse is napping, doesn't make it dangerous. I have one who started to nap with an inexperienced rider a few months ago, and as we train him out of it spinning him to push him on is often necessary. He is getting the message. In the mean time, if there is a vehicle approaching, we postpone our 'discussion' until we have a clear road to prat about in.

 

[milliepops]

yeah bit of give and take needed I think.
In principle I agree horses should be set up so they can cope with what happens on the road and not cause an issue.
however, getting them to that point is something you can sometimes only really practice on the road. so i guess ideally you'd choose quiet roads, have help available etc but ultimately you depend on a bit of patience on the part of the driver occasionally, horses aren't machines and they will do unexpected things sometimes.

Being able to deal with those moments quietly and without having to worry about aggression etc from traffic is important so the horse learns the right thing.

I have 2 pretty rubbish hacks, one naps and the other is not patient when he has to wait. At the moment I'm basically not hacking at all because the lanes are so overgrown i can't see traffic coming until it's more or less on top of us. that's fine, i do other stuff instead but in the meantime my horses don't get any better to hack.

 

[Equine_Dream]

I agree to an extent but then in order to get a horse used to riding on the road, one must actually take it on the road at some point. Yes there are things you can do first i.e. turnout in field next to a road, walk horse past cars on the yard etc etc, but sooner or later you've got to take the bull by the horns and go on the road.
Different situation entirely with a dangerous horse on the road. The cob you describe needed extensive work before even attempting the most quiet country lane.

 

[Akkalia1]

It's a difficult one. I have a horse who's not good in big traffic but unfortunately have to go down a road where there are regularly big lorries and tractors. I have actually stopped riding her out because of her unpredictableness and it made me nervous so vicious circle. Luckily I found a very good rider who I pay to hack her out for me and she does fine as is not bothered by the horse getting uptight and just rides her quietly through it, but the horse is still nervous. The only way to get a horse used to traffic is to ride regularly in traffic I think, and with the way some people drive past horses it's so difficult to teach them that it's all ok.

I see what you're saying in that people who can't control their animals shouldn't be on the roads and I do agree, but sometimes the horse is just scared and yes that leads to dangerous behaviour but it's so hard to gain that horses confidence without just going out and doing it. Which is getting harder and harder on todays roads.

My major bug bear is riders that don't thank the good drivers. I make sure I thank everyone who makes an effort to slow down. Even if maybe they've not slowed down as much as I think they should. And I also try and be considerate and get off the road if I can to let traffic pass or wave them past me if I can see the road ahead is clear.

I have had some truly, truly shocking drivers pass me and on my saint of a Fjord it's fine but would totally wreck my other horses confidence. I wish I didn't have to ride on roads :/

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

My biggest bug bear is the same as Akkalia, riders who don't say thank you, wear hi vis or make an effort to move over for cars. I always wear hi vis when hacking and if a car comes will trot on to reach the nearest pull over point so they can pass as I'm conscious I don't want to hold them up. I will always say thank you to them as well, usually just with my hand but sometimes verbally as well, especially with motorcycles and similar scary vehicles if they've been particularly understanding eg turned their engine off
My biggest issue tends to be with cyclists, he nearly got taken out by one the other day as they were flying 2 abreast round the corner
But arrogant riders even as someone who hacks myself are the worst- it must be even more annoying for non horsey people

Mine wouldn't hack alone very well when I got him, as he was from an rs. He would also try and turn round (fortunately not dangerous behaviour) where the rs regularly would. One time completely refused to go any further because a squashed box was in the road. I did turn back that time as while I don't think he would rear i felt a slight rock back when I was trying to push him on and because I was on my own I wasn't happy to risk it

We solved it by going a little further each time. If he went to plant id get off and lead him for a hundred meters or so to get him going again. Probably not BHS approved but I'd do quite a lot of trotting on the way out so he was thinking forward. I'd also have someone on foot for the first few times so he could "follow" them. Unfortunately for him I like hacking and no one at the yard hacked (still dont) so he needed to learn to get on with it. Fortunately the napping was never rearing or Bucking just planting.
Hes still fairly spooky, people may not agree but I always hack out with a schooling whip that way if a car is coming past/ near if he goes to spook he can get a swot with it to keep him on the straight and narrow

The cob your friend had sounds very rude and had Probably been allowed to get away with it in the past and could have done with some schooling in the field/ similar grassy place before going on the road.

This was all on country lanes, I usually head in the same direction as the fields are fortunately at the end of some roadwork as well. I tend to only do the other way in company as its a bit busier and last time I did it on my own albeit several years ago he'd caught sight of some fishermen in the field on the way back and was being quite stupid eg jogging etc which combined with the busier road made me feel more vulnerable and not worth the risk when we can just go the other way unless we have company/ a foot soldier

 

[Flicker]

I think it really depends. As a rider, would I expect a car to pass me wide and slow in case a pheasant flew out of the hedge? Absolutely.
Would I expect vehicle drivers to stop everything while I tried to deal with a nappy or otherwise badly behaved horse? Not at all.
If you are going to take a horse into the road, make sure you do it responsibly and with as little impact on those around you as possible.
When I hacked my late mare, she was cracking in company but very spooky on her own. I always had someone walk with me on foot if I took her out alone. If you are acclimatising a horse to hacking, this should be a fundamental safety precaution. Or another sensible horse.
If your horse really isn’t good out, stick to quiet roads and times and make sure you have plenty of help.
And if you don’t feel confident or competent, also get someone to help you or hack for you.

 

[Baywonder]

The problem with riding on the road is that you have to think for yourself, your horse, and the drivers too.

My old boy was fantastic to hack out - I could take him anywhere. However, there was another livery at my yard whose horse was not good at all in traffic. To go out alone they had to hack out at the crack of dawn where there was virtually no chance of meeting any traffic. To try and get over this problem, we started hacking out together, and my old boy, bless him, was a very good chaperone. Over time, the other horse became used to traffic, and was much, much calmer to hack out.

I think you do need to choose your moments to ride. We were quite close to a rat-run, so rush hour times were a complete no-go for me.

There are good drivers who go above and beyond what is expected of them. Likewise, there are sensible riders who say thank you, or nod / smile, wear hi-vis, trot to a pull in point, etc.

But, like most things in life, there is a minority on both sides who are complete and utter !#%$£ who give the good ones a bad name.

 

[milliepops]

I think it really depends. As a rider, would I expect a car to pass me wide and slow in case a pheasant flew out of the hedge? Absolutely.
Would I expect vehicle drivers to stop everything while I tried to deal with a nappy or otherwise badly behaved horse? Not at all.

I think the problem is that a horse can nap or otherwise misbehave unexpectedly and then the driver absolutely should stop while you deal with it - what's the alternative, drive at you? IME horses that are tricky in traffic, for example, only get better on the roads through having good experiences. a moment to get organised so you're in control again is often all that's needed.

 

[jnb]

How can anyone have a horse that is good to ride on the roads, without actually riding on one?
My baby cob came on the boat from Ireland, pretty much unhandled (he certainly wasn't halter broken although he had one on when he arrived!). He clearly hadn't seen any traffic and from chatting to the seller had seen only the pickup they used to drop a bale of fodder straw off - i know it was straw because when we unloaded him after the 16 hour trip he ignored the beautiful pile of meadow hay and started scoffing the straw bed!
Anyway....when I got him home (nearly a year later, because I ended up in hospital and ill for a year (not related to the cob!) he still had seen no traffic (I had to send him to a friend to be turned out with her youngsters) so I remember distinctly picking Boxing Day to lead him onto the road for the first time, and despairing he's ever be safe to ride on the road, as he was so green.
But.....he was broken in the following March and was with the breaker only 3 weeks and had to go back to my friend as I had to have a major operation. I rode him a few times on her yard/farm then, 4 months after breaking him in I got him home and my only place to ride was the village road. I rode him out of the gate for 200 yards then came back. Next day, 200 yds further, every other day just a bit further and we met our first car. I halted him and talked to him and gave him a treat for standing (probably get slated for that! But I was weak after my op and couldn't take any risks).
By the end of summer we were hacking into the village and down a bridleway - about a 1.5 mile round trip. Narrow village lanes, meeting cars, a bus, tractors, dogs, people, rattly trailers the lot. And do you know, he learned to trust me as I had no one but him, and he, no-one but me.
I know I've been lucky. I am not experienced with young horses. But it worked for me. How could I have done this if I wasn't allowed to ride him on the road because my horse wasn't "car proof"? Not everyone has someone to walk with them or accompany their young horse.
Did I do the right thing? I don't know (I'm sure there are many HHO experts who will tell me if I did the right thing!) but I had no choice, it was that or don't ride my newly broken in cob. I have no school nor any access to one unless I box up.

PS It goes without saying I wear Hi Vis, and wear 2 head cameras. I have used footage off them once to report bad driving by a Jewson lorry.

 

[scruffyponies]

@Flicker
A horse having an awkward moment out hacking is no different to it spooking. In a perfect world, the owner/rider should have trained the horse so that it doesn't happen (none of mine will spook at a pheasant - or a shoot for that matter). However, when dealing with sentient creatures, training is lifelong, and the most reliable old plod can have a bad day.

 

[SpotsandBays]

This is an issue that I have to be honest. I don’t like hacking at all after an accident on my old loan pony. So because I don’t really hack my now horse at all he can be abit of a joggy tit! (He hasn’t done it enough, and that’s a me problem not a him problem). Fine with somebody walking but just gets overly excited when with another horse. I don’t actually hack at all now to be honest, most of the bridleways around me have had hardcore put down and I’d have to do a lot of roadwork which I don’t want to do. My dilemma is that my 2YR old will be being backed over the next few years, and I know that hacks are good places for horses to learn to canter etc but meh. I wish wish wish I had a big old woods next to the yard I could just get lost in without seeing a car!

 

[jnb]

This is an issue that I have to be honest. I don’t like hacking at all after an accident on my old loan pony. So because I don’t really hack my now horse at all he can be abit of a joggy tit! (He hasn’t done it enough, and that’s a me problem not a him problem). Fine with somebody walking but just gets overly excited when with another horse. I don’t actually hack at all now to be honest, most of the bridleways around me have had hardcore put down and I’d have to do a lot of roadwork which I don’t want to do. My dilemma is that my 2YR old will be being backed over the next few years, and I know that hacks are good places for horses to learn to canter etc but meh. I wish wish wish I had a big old woods next to the yard I could just get lost in without seeing a car!

See if I couldn't hack, riding would seem pointless to me. Even though my ambitions lie in the showing world, I love to hack and schooling every day would not only bore my cob but I'd be sour after it. But it's horses for courses I guess.
I have seen some things from my cob's back I would never have if I was stuck in a school.

 

[scruffyponies]

Many people send their horses away for schooling, but nobody ever sends them away to be given confidence hacking. Perhaps they should!

 

[Crazy_cat_lady]

See if I couldn't hack, riding would seem pointless to me. Even though my ambitions lie in the showing world, I love to hack and schooling every day would not only bore my cob but I'd be sour after it. But it's horses for courses I guess.
I have seen some things from my cob's back I would never have if I was stuck in a school.

I'm the same, I'm losing interest in riding/ horse ownership but the one thing I do still enjoy is a blast across the fields

 

[SpotsandBays]

See if I couldn't hack, riding would seem pointless to me. Even though my ambitions lie in the showing world, I love to hack and schooling every day would not only bore my cob but I'd be sour after it. But it's horses for courses I guess.
I have seen some things from my cob's back I would never have if I was stuck in a school.

I get what you’re saying, although I don’t have a school so ride in the fields, and I certainly don’t only do schooling!

 

[SEL]

Many people send their horses away for schooling, but nobody ever sends them away to be given confidence hacking. Perhaps they should!

One of the trainers near our yard makes it a real focus to get them out on the roads although even he's had moments where his life has flashed before his eyes. Young horses and bad drivers aren't a good match.

The road to our bridle path should be quiet but the council has allowed various industrial developments and now we get heavy vehicles on roads which are narrow and windy. They go too fast when they don't have visibility round the bends. Not many gateways to hide in either.

 

[HashRouge]

My major bug bear is riders that don't thank the good drivers. I make sure I thank everyone who makes an effort to slow down. Even if maybe they've not slowed down as much as I think they should. And I also try and be considerate and get off the road if I can to let traffic pass or wave them past me if I can see the road ahead is clear.

/

Sometimes it's tricky to take your hands off the reins to properly thank a driver though. I always try to do a nod and smile and will raise my hand if I can, but my share horse is often a two reins on the steering wheel kind of horse. Safer all round if I have him properly under control, but I imagine the nod and smile is easy to miss.

Re riding on the roads. I do think there are two sides to it - yes drivers need to be respectful, but horse riders also need to be sensible. I know that young/ nervous horses need to do more on the roads for them to improve, but I do think that there are ways of doing this. Avoid peak times and ride out with a sensible, experienced horse, ideally two abreast. There is a nasty 60mph road that I drive down to get to my yard and I'm always amazed by how many people ride on it at rush hour! I wouldn't ride on it anyway, but for those who do, I really think they should avoid rush hour or times of poor visibility and make sure to wear hi viz.

My share horse is a sharp little sod but he is actually very good in traffic. He has been frightened by a few very large/ very noisy vehicles but he actually tends to cope with them much better than I anticipate. However, he is very spooky and can propel himself sideways before you can blink. For this reason I avoid riding on main roads at all costs. I ride him on single track roads quite a lot, as no-one can get past us so I don't have to worry about him spooking sideways into a vehicle. I always make sure to pull in when possible to let cars pass and will trot on if needed so people don't have to wait long. There is only one short stretch of two lane road that I ride him on and I will always put him towards the middle of the lane so that cars need to move into the other lane to overtake, rather than trying to squeeze by. It doesn't get a lot of traffic at the time I ride though, and I would never ride on it during rush hour as I know it is a busy cut through. He spooks less than he used to and I suppose he may eventually stop doing it altogether, but at the moment I feel like I need to take these precautions to keep him/ me/ other road users safe.

 

[stormox]

My opinion us the only way to get a horse used to going out and meeting traffic is to go out. However much you do at home, horses are less confident when they are away from familiar surroundings and are more likely to nap shy or plant.
If occasionally a car has to wait while I get a nervous youngster going past a scary leaf - so be it.
I always thank drivers, especially ones who have gone out of their way to accomodate me but not often with a wave of my hand usually by nodding my head as its far safer.
As for cyclists, when I am driving I dont notice many of them thank me, or even move over, even if Ive been slowly following them for what seems like miles!!

 

[Flicker]

@Flicker
A horse having an awkward moment out hacking is no different to it spooking. In a perfect world, the owner/rider should have trained the horse so that it doesn't happen (none of mine will spook at a pheasant - or a shoot for that matter). However, when dealing with sentient creatures, training is lifelong, and the most reliable old plod can have a bad day.

yes but there is a big difference between a horse that is ordinarily under control having a bad day, and one that is badly trained and poorly ridden. A rider local to us was recently clipped on her horse by a passing car. The horse spooked at something and wound up in the middle of the road. There was a big uproar on social media and some very strong comments. What they failed to appreciate was:
1. The horse had a history of being tricky to hack - it had dumped a previous owner on the road. I’d seen it spook before in exactly the same place on a previous occasion;
2. It also regularly stopped, planted and spun at home and off the yard;
3. The new owner didn’t seem to be in control and certainly wasn’t engaging anyone more experienced to ride the horse;
4. The reason why the horse sustained only bruising as a result of the accident is because the driver was virtually stationary they were passing so slowly;
5. The road is a busy and narrow arterial route between villages.

That horse should never have been taken by that rider onto that road. It is these riders that I am referring to when I say that it is grossly unfair of us as riders to expect other road users to accommodate our horses’ “development opportunities”. There seem to be quite a lot around where I ride and I can appreciate how infuriating it must be for vehicle drivers. And it makes it worse for those of us that do care and do try to do things safely and properly.

Sorry, rant over lol!

 

[luckyoldme]

Every road user forum has threads like this.
As a trucker I have absolutely no problem with horses. Its so rare that i see them. The last time the horse was very nervous so i stopped.
Cyclists with lycra and pointy hats tend to be a bit of a nightmare. Ive noticed that they are quite happy to keep traffic behind them for miles till its safe to pass...but if you slow them down they get very angry.
As a cyclist I was quite shocked when someone exiting the wall gates at floors castle in a 4x4 deliberately tried to put me off my bike last friday. They literally waited for me to get level with the gates then pulled out straight into my path.
As a horse rider the only bad experience i ever had was again from a cyclist who had no intention of slowing down and spooked my horse.
My conclusion is that an idiot is a idiot whatever they drive or ride.

 

[canteron]

@Flicker
A horse having an awkward moment out hacking is no different to it spooking. In a perfect world, the owner/rider should have trained the horse so that it doesn't happen (none of mine will spook at a pheasant - or a shoot for that matter). However, when dealing with sentient creatures, training is lifelong, and the most reliable old plod can have a bad day.

Hi scruffyponies - genuinely interested how you do this. I have two youngsters, I found a field near a busy road for them for traffic confidence, work daily on their confidence with flags, umbrellas, dustbins tractors, train lots of shoulder in etc ... do you have any favourite resources/methods you favour - always interested in anything inspiring!!

 

[scats]

I don’t ride mine on busy roads. Millie is too sharp and has no problems leaping away from something with no warning, so it wouldn’t be safe- for me, her or other road users. I will ride her up and down the local private lane (Farm and resident access only) and will box her to quiet areas, but the main road that our lane leads to is just too busy and dangerous. In all fairness to her, she would probably be a lot better if I could slot her in behind a safe horse, but no-one else rides on our yard so I have no-one to do that with.

I think it’s about knowing your horse and recognising risk and weighing up whether the risk is worth it.

I wish I had a little local village to hack to and around, but I live in a very busy area with busy towns and roads.

 

[Akkalia1]

Sometimes it's tricky to take your hands off the reins to properly thank a driver though. I always try to do a nod and smile and will raise my hand if I can, but my share horse is often a two reins on the steering wheel kind of horse. Safer all round if I have him properly under control, but I imagine the nod and smile is easy to miss.

Oh absolutely. Have had to resort to that myself. I was meaning those who don't bother to thank drivers at all, which sadly I see all too often. It just makes me cross that that driver might not bother to slow down next time they pass a horse which might be me or someone else equally in need of a little help on the roads.

 

[Wishfilly]

I do agree that a public road is not a place to have a battle with a horse if it can possibly be avoided- but it can't always be avoided! Also, when you see a horse that is wound up/behaving badly, you don't know what has happened to them on that ride, and their rider may just be doing everything they can to get everyone home in one piece! I'd always err on the side of sympathy rather than judgement.

I always thank considerate drivers BUT I don't think not being thanked is an excuse for inconsiderate driving. I can't remember the last time a cyclist thanked me, and I still don't drive badly around them and always aim to pass safely!

I do think there are riders who possibly aren't competent to ride on the roads, and also some riders who aren't aware of the highway code or don't know how to ride a horse on the road safely, and it does bother me. I know people aren't always keen on the BHS, but I do think the riding and road safety is not a bad place to start- especially for teenagers who don't drive!

I think part of the issue really is that in a lot of places there are no really quiet roads any more, and often a lack of good hacking.

 

[Orangehorse]

yes but there is a big difference between a horse that is ordinarily under control having a bad day, and one that is badly trained and poorly ridden. A rider local to us was recently clipped on her horse by a passing car. The horse spooked at something and wound up in the middle of the road. There was a big uproar on social media and some very strong comments. What they failed to appreciate was:
1. The horse had a history of being tricky to hack - it had dumped a previous owner on the road. I’d seen it spook before in exactly the same place on a previous occasion;
2. It also regularly stopped, planted and spun at home and off the yard;
3. The new owner didn’t seem to be in control and certainly wasn’t engaging anyone more experienced to ride the horse;
4. The reason why the horse sustained only bruising as a result of the accident is because the driver was virtually stationary they were passing so slowly;
5. The road is a busy and narrow arterial route between villages.

That horse should never have been taken by that rider onto that road. It is these riders that I am referring to when I say that it is grossly unfair of us as riders to expect other road users to accommodate our horses’ “development opportunities”. There seem to be quite a lot around where I ride and I can appreciate how infuriating it must be for vehicle drivers. And it makes it worse for those of us that do care and do try to do things safely and properly.

Sorry, rant over lol!

This is exactly what I mean.

 

[DabDab]

yes but there is a big difference between a horse that is ordinarily under control having a bad day, and one that is badly trained and poorly ridden. A rider local to us was recently clipped on her horse by a passing car. The horse spooked at something and wound up in the middle of the road. There was a big uproar on social media and some very strong comments. What they failed to appreciate was:
1. The horse had a history of being tricky to hack - it had dumped a previous owner on the road. I’d seen it spook before in exactly the same place on a previous occasion;
2. It also regularly stopped, planted and spun at home and off the yard;
3. The new owner didn’t seem to be in control and certainly wasn’t engaging anyone more experienced to ride the horse;
4. The reason why the horse sustained only bruising as a result of the accident is because the driver was virtually stationary they were passing so slowly;
5. The road is a busy and narrow arterial route between villages.

That horse should never have been taken by that rider onto that road. It is these riders that I am referring to when I say that it is grossly unfair of us as riders to expect other road users to accommodate our horses’ “development opportunities”. There seem to be quite a lot around where I ride and I can appreciate how infuriating it must be for vehicle drivers. And it makes it worse for those of us that do care and do try to do things safely and properly.

Sorry, rant over lol!

I'd say that is more that is more to do with the rider than the horse though. The main problem I see is riders who haven't learnt how to hack on the roads. Simple things like it's a good 6 months before any youngster of mine is kept moving while a car passes, because they are a hell of a lot less likely to spook into the path of a car if you stand them quietly for a car to pass than if they're moving.

People will happily take dressage or jumping lessons, but very rarely hacking lessons, and they're are very few people who would bother teaching it.

 

[scruffyponies]

Hi scruffyponies - genuinely interested how you do this. I have two youngsters, I found a field near a busy road for them for traffic confidence, work daily on their confidence with flags, umbrellas, dustbins tractors, train lots of shoulder in etc ... do you have any favourite resources/methods you favour - always interested in anything inspiring!!

I wanted to take my time responding to this, so here are the things that I think contribute:

Background: Ponies are out in a herd by a road. Feed is forage only. Very low stress, in other words. Local area is a busy little town, surrounded by arable and shooting. Lots of varied but fairly safe traffic (tight, but low speed), suburban garden machinery etc. and wildlife.

Training - Pones: Group hacks with experienced horses into town is the first thing they do, either as fresh broke babies or our new 'project', so from the get-go 'normal' is busy and varied. Solo hacking with an experienced rider soon after, to make sure we catch any napping in the bud. Napping horses are made to go in front on group rides. This is a bit of a test of the rider's 'mettle'.
We graze right by the road after hacks, which the ponies see as a treat, because the grass is better.

Training - Riders: Towards anything new, not away from it, and relax! Riders also consider road to be 'normal'.

Correction: On the rare occasion that we have one that is really jittery in traffic, there's a disabled parking bay on the main roundabout in town. I have been known to stand the pony in it for half an hour or more as everything rumbles and clanks by. Eventually they get bored and stand still, at which point we go home.

Obviously not as easy if your local road is the A3, but I hope this helps. Oh, and the pheasants - there are thousands of the damn things around here, so the ponies just get used to them coming up squawking out of nowhere.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

There are several Facebook groups about riding out on the roads, and how stupid some motorists can be.

But I also see accounts of some pretty badly behaved horses, and I think "should they be out on the roads if the rider cannot control them properly?"

I know that any horse can shy at something unusual, or even whip round, but to take a confirmed nappy animal out on the roads seems reckless. Or be so insecure that a shy will unseat the rider to the extent that they fall off. Am I being too harsh?

I know someone who was "given" a Welsh Cob by a friend, and they were delighted - until they tried to take it out for rides. The cob would disregard the rider completely, but it was not until it decided to make a beeline for a nice patch of grass on the other side of the road, just in front of a car coming the other way, that the new owner saw sense and never took it out again. Luckily the car was able to stop before hitting the horse, but the new owner was lumbered with a horse she could hardly ride and didn't want to spend time, money on retraining an animal she felt she could never trust again.

I often read about people falling off at a 'spook' (which I assume is that I would call shying) and wonder what on earth is going on with that rider. A rider should be able to stop on a horse that jinks to the side, or even spins round to face the opposite direction, certainly before taking the horse out on the road but just about anywhere, if they have been taught properly and have a reasonable core. Coming off at a horse repeatedly bucking is very different, as is falling when jumping, imho.

 

[crazyandme]

I often read about people falling off at a 'spook' (which I assume is that I would call shying) and wonder what on earth is going on with that rider. A rider should be able to stop on a horse that jinks to the side, or even spins round to face the opposite direction, certainly before taking the horse out on the road but just about anywhere, if they have been taught properly and have a reasonable core. Coming off at a horse repeatedly bucking is very different, as is falling when jumping, imho.

In some cases it is due to the balance not being quite right! I have had several silly falls due to my balance being dodgy through dyspraxia and the horse leaps sideways and I've not been able to keep with them. Nothing to do with bad core or bad teaching! It doesn't happen every spook, but enough that I know I need to be aware of it as a possibility

Definitely think you need to have general good control of what you are doing with the horse, and to get it as used as possible to everything as safely as possible before going alone on busier roads. I have ridden on some horrible roads at times (one place had 100m of 60mph road full of trucks etc before we reached miles of lanes and bridleways), and it is so much easier on a horse that will just get on and do as asked without being a prat! I do tend to ride towards the middle of the road as that helps slow people down usually, and then move over when they have actually slowed down and thank them. But there are some real idiots out there who shoot past far too fast, far too close. Or who creep up and rev their engines suddenly right behind the horse and then overtake laughing because the horse spooked at that (said horse was fine with all traffic normally!)